Banded Elm Bark Beetle

Scolytus schevyrewi (Semenov)

Banded elm beetle photos: Simon Hinkley & Ken Walker, Museum Victoria

Hosts:

In the United States, the banded elm bark beetle has been observed to attack and kill drought-stressed Siberian elms (Ulmus pumila). So far, the beetle has attacked only American, English, rock, and Siberian elms in the United States; but in Asia it has a broader host range, including willows (Salix spp.), fruit trees such as apricot, cherry, and peach (Prunus spp.), and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia).

The biology of the banded elm bark beetle is similar to that of S. multistriatus, another exotic bark beetle native to Europe introduced decades ago, which has been the principle vector of Dutch elm disease in the United States. However, the banded elm bark beetle appears to be more aggressive; in areas where it has become well established, it is much more abundant in dying elms than is S. multistriatus.